A strange futuristic place, where evolved humanoid-animals of all varieties mingle with each other in some sort of bar or nightclub. 'The way I hear it, Grako isn't going to be able to walk again. Heard it was the two humanoid types from that garbage can on the other side of the sun. Looking to get the big man' an evolved elephant remarks, adding 'I'd like to see those pink sacks try and pull their low-evo mojo on Eltor!' 'I would effortlessly outpace the human speedster!' an evolved cheetah boasts, while an evolved bear declares that he would crush their bones as an offering. 'I know, right? I'd kick 'em and slap 'em around a bunch – I'd do all kinds of stuff to 'em. Ya know, if they were here' Pietro Maximoff a.k.a. Quicksilver remarks as he suddenly appears sitting next to the evolved bear, arms resting behind his head. 'Kill it!' the cheetah shouts, raising a gun to Quicksilver, who replies 'Sorry. You were saying?'
The cheetah pushes the table away. 'Hold him! I will warn the High Lord!' the cheetah snarls as the table strikes Quicksilver, while the cheetah speeds away, racing past other evolved animals, he leaps out of the window and drops several stories towards the ground. Quicksilver doesn't stay and races off while the elephant opens fire at him. 'You better run, pink sack! You dumpster babies don't want anything to do with the New Men!' the elephant shouts. Suddenly, 'I apologize for my brother's abrupt exit... though I fear you'll find me a far less desirable dinner companion' Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch announces as she appears behind the elephant and the bear, pink chaos energy circling around her hands.
While the cheetah speeds across a rooftop, swiftly across the city lit by dim blue lights under a darkened sky, while Quicksilver thinks to himself 'What if one day you awoke to discover your entire life was a lie? Everything you believed about yourself – your family – everything that makes you who you are – all of it a fabrication. Pietro and Wanda Maximoff. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch. Magneto is not our father – so who is? Why go to such legnths to mislead us? It is a revelation that shakes my world to the core. A mystery that I cannot ignore. Nothing else matters. For Wanda, the truth has become a fascination. For me – an obsession'.
'Excuse me. I hate to interrupt your cowardly escape but I have a few questions' Quicksilver calls out to the cheetah as he races up alongside him. 'You should not have come to Counter-Earth, outlander!' the cheetah responds, abruptly turning and speeding off in another direction. 'You cannot outrun Ja'rou!' the cheetah boasts, revealing his name. 'Move! Out! Of! My Way, Dog!' Ja'rou shouts as he speeds down some stairs, right in the direction of an evolved dog who is pushing a pram with her puppies. 'Pardon us' Quicksilver tells the dog as he speeds after Ja'rou and knocks him aside before he crashes into the dog and her puppies. 'You will soon learn – there is no opposing – the foundation of the new' Ja'rou declares as he lashes out at Quicksilver, striking him with his claws and drawing blood. 'A dodo. Seeking to outpace a hummingbird -' Ja'rou mutters as he speeds away, while Quicksilver falls into one of the evolved animals riding on a scooter.
Suddenly: 'Ja'rou slams into the road, which has risen up before him to form a wall, blocking his route. He falls to the feet of Wanda who stands over him, 'Running that fast, eyes front is probably an important rule to follow, hummingbird' she remarks. Quicksilver then speeds over and grabs Ja'rou by his throat, 'Now tell us, Boasty von Bragington – where is he?' Quicksilver demands. An instant later, Wanda screams and Quicksilver cries out in pain as they are both struck down by energy. 'You!' Ja'rou gasps as a figure, obscured by shadows and holding a weapon looms over him. 'Me. I'd say yoou owe me one, New Man – but I'm afraid I have to tarnish my charity' the mystery figure responds, before blasting Ja'rou with the weapon.
Elsewhere aboard an Avengers Quinjet, Rogue thinks to herself that the Avengers Unity Squad is decimated. Steve Rogers is debilitated, Thor's no longer Thor, Wonder Man is trapped in her head, Havok has gone mad, inverted, he kidnapped his wife, the Wasp. 'And Logan... is not something I can process right now' Rogue tells herself, knowing that if she starts pulling at strings she will unwind, so she has to keep moving, focus on problems she can solve. 'Scarlet Witch's been missing for a week' Rogue tells her teammates – Sam Wilson a.k.a. the current Captain America, the android known as the Vision, and Jericho Drumm a.k.a. Doctor Voodoo. Sam asks Rogue if they are sure she is missing, to which Rogue remarks that given the timing, she fears something is very wrong. At the controls, the Vision states that if the Avengers went on red alert every time Wanda took a sabbatical, then they would have to start a whole new team dedicated to keeping track of her. 'Highly evolved, logic over emotion, yet you can't get over your bitterness at your ex-wife, Vision?' Rogue comments, telling the Vision that that nonsense ends right now. 'Whatever feeling's you're harboring – Wanda's an Avenger'.
'And a ticking time bomb with too much power' the Vision points out. 'If that's the only reason you're helping, you cold toaster, I'll take it' Rogue declares. Sam reminds Rogue that Wanda's world is unraveling, so she has to be considered a danger. 'And here I thought I'd gathered people who actually cared for her' Rogue mutters. Doctor Voodoo speaks for the first time, stating that after all she has been though, revelations such as these could shatter a person. But Rogue tells Doctor Voodoo that Wanda is too strong to shatter, and suggests that she is just looking for answers, which leads Rogue to think she'd have started where she was raised. 'Wundagore Mountain. A devilish den of science and arcane forces' Voodoo announces. 'Your comfort zone, Jericho. Even with Doctor Voodoo's arcane aid – Wundagore Mountain is vast and perilous. How precisely will we track Wanda?' the Vision enquires. Rogue tells the sour android not to worry about that, and turning to some sort of large container she claims that she brought just the thing.
Shortly, the Quinjet has landed at Wundagore Mountain, the Vision hovers in the air, while Captain America, Rogue and Doctor Voodoo walk near each other, with a magical leash extending from his hand to the neck of Sabretooth a.k.a. Victor Creed, who sniffs the air ahead of the others. He reports that he is on Red's scent now, and it is about a week old. 'She's with that Eurotrash brother of hers. Something dark in that gal, tell you what'. Doctor Voodoo points out that to delve into the realm of chaos colors one's essence eternally, and asks Rogue if the mystic leash is truly necessary. Rogue replies that even inverted she has a hard time trusting Sabretooth, and Sam Wilson agrees. 'Giving me the warm an' fuzzies' Sabretooth mutters. Sam asks Jericho if he is picking up anything supernatural, to which Doctor Voodoo responds that he is hearing the dead murmur here, and explains that this mountain is a conduit to many dreadful realms, and now its vile magics have grown into the forest. Voodoo informs the others that the dead tell him they are not safe, that they say these grounds should be scorched. 'Got something' Sabretooth A door built into the side of a mountain is half open. The Avengers Unity Squad gather around the door and Rogue asks Sabretooth if he has a whiff of where the twins went. 'Don't need heightened smell to find this clue, frail' Creed replies.
The five enter the compound and Rogue tells Creed that she really hoped that with his moral compass inverted he'd drop the “frail” routine. 'Sure, why not just neuter me thorough' Creed replies, before announcing that the scent goes dead here, as if they up and disappeared. 'Allow me' the Vision declares, stating that although this place was used to bore through to mystic secrets, it was built upon technology. 'And you are the Sorcerer of Science' Sam points out. 'Hello, old soul' the Vision remarks as he touches the controls of a large computer system in the cavern. 'You are early' a voice responds. The Vision asks the voice if they will tell him their secrets. 'All doors are open to you, Cleric of the Next' the voice states. 'Awful friendly with the Tin Man' Sabretooth points out. 'Can you imagine being a young girl raised in this place?' Rogue asks the others. Sam replies that it helps him understand Wanda a bit better. 'There now. Is that all you require?' the voice asks the Vision. As he watches the computer screen, the Vision states that this is very disturbing indeed. He turns back to his teammates and informs them that Wanda and Quicksilver opened a portal to a world he thought long since destroyed. 'World of pure imagination?' Sabretooth snarls. 'Given the luck of this team, a trip to Wonka's factory doesn't seem likely' Sam points out.
A projection is emitted from the Vision's hand that depicts a solar system as he announces that Wanda and Quicksilver have traveled to Counter-Earth, a doppelganger of this world, Counter-Earth was situated perfectly behind their sun, always out of view. He adds that the device that teleported Wanda and Pietro there has since been destroyed by a sentry of these halls. Referring to the projected map, the Vision asks Jericho if with the precise location and exact triangulation, whether he can teleport them there. 'I would be a poor Houngan Supreme could I not' Jericho responds. Doctor Voodoo holds his staff out and as green energy whips around it, he tells the others to stand still, as the slightest misstep could deposit them all in the dread Swamps of Oguun. He begins to cast his spell, 'Staff of Legba, dispatch to me the barrier crows to guide us!' He continues the spell, as the energy whips around his teammates, linking them all, when suddenly, from the shadows, a robotic voice calls out 'Abandon all old gods – pray only to the New Men!' the sentry declares as its fist slams into Doctor Voodoo's head, knocking him to the ground. 'The spell, Jericho! Finish the spell!' Sam Wilson shouts. Doctor Voodoo utters two final words as the sentry slams its fist down into Voodoo once against, and the five disappear in the twisting green energy.
There is darkness, it bends in on Jericho Drumm. He hears ancestral voices whisper warnings, guided only by the will of Papa Jumbo. The whispers fade, giving way to a cacophony of unavenged. Jericho is drawn off course by their pleas – drawn to fulfill his duty to serve all restless spirits. 'It is not through any failings of ours, you see. He plans to share our fate with all of the blind' a voice utters. Drumm looks up to see a spirit standing over him. 'He has done it countless times before. Our only crime was imperfection' the spirit explains. Doctor Voodoo sits up in a wasteland of destroyed buildings and skeletons, and asks the spirit for forgiveness, explaining that he is disorientated. 'And you have me at a bit of a disadvantage' he adds. The ground is soaked in death – the essence of billions of innocents. Jericho knows that he is no longer on Earth. The spirit motions to a building up ahead, and explains that it is the Council of the Restless Dead. Jericho climbs the steps and realizes that there is more at work than his own will – and that his arrival was anticipated. They call him to them, and he feels as if he is one of them. The doors open, as Jericho is called home.
The Vision surveys his surroundings in a futuristic city. He calls himself an emotional fool, as he knew there was a sentry, but he is so confused by his unresolved anger towards Wanda – distracted, he did not think to scan for the sentry. The Vision knows that Doctor Voodoo's spell worked, as he is on Counter-Earth, and he wonders if the others survived as well. The Vision notes that the city is spotless, a level of advanced technology he has only encountered in beings such as himself – and Ultron. Not dead, simply dormant – as if in wait. 'Hello? Anyone?' the Vision calls out. 'Calm yourself, dear/ You are not alone, nor in danger' a voice responds directly into the Vision's mind. The Vision sees a light down an alleway and walks towards it, as the voice tells him 'I could never allow you to come to harm, my love. I have waited an eternity for this moment'. 'How could you even know who I am?' the Vision asks as he enters the light. 'How could I not?' the voice calls back, as the Vision finds himself in a strange, barren room where a silver female form sits on a chair, a photo displayed on a monitor behind her – a photo of the Vision, herself and two children. 'It is a poor Eve that does not know her Adam' the mysterious being remarks.
Elsewhere, Rogue slowly wakes, as someone stands over her, holding a spoon of some sort of food towards her mouth. 'There, there. That's a good girl' he tells her. 'Where...where the hell am I?' Rogue asks urgently as she looks surprised at the strange beak-nosed man trying to feed her. She sits up, but cannot move as she is restrained in some sort of contraption. 'Calm your body, sweet bean. This sauce of apple is delicious for your mouth, correct?' the strange man asks, telling Rogue that its nutrients will help her regain her vigor. 'Yum-yum now' he adds. But Rogue moves her mouth away, 'You like apple-flavored sauces – my research does not lie!' the man barks. 'I would have taken you as a first-round pick if I had my druthers, but he has other ideas, yes-yes. Always thinking forward!' Rogue ignores his prattling andv vasks him what he has done to her – why she cannot move. 'You are precisely where you should be. Do you have any idea of the power that is is surging through you, succulent little buttercup?' The strange being grins as he tells Rogue that Simon Williams could barely contain the ionic energies he was composed of, eventually living as a being of pure energy. 'He courses through you. Yet you hold his beautiful gift with no cellular deconstruction, no strain whatesoever. The power to build a new star, a new world for new men!' he declares, touching Rogue's unimpressed face.
The Master Scientist turns away and drops the apple sauce, 'You should be the prime model. I said as much! By Karkor, I've told him this! The key is with the mutants. It always has been!' he shouts, knocking some other food or liquids off a table. He hangs his head, 'Forgive this old fool. Rude, self-centred. You can't move because I have inversed the ionic energies within you, creating a gravity anchor' he explains. He tells Rogue that it was necessary to stop all of her thrashing – as he expunged the consciousness of Simon Williams from her mind. A horrified Rogue stares at the Master Scientist in shock.
Sam Wilson finds himself tangled in vines and shrubs, alongside other strange beings, one of whom cries out in their alien tongue. Sam realizes that it is a desperate plea and reminds himself that when Rogue put the call out, he thought this would be routine, a chance to recuperate from the past few weeks of insanity – but he has been doing this long enough to have known better. Sam hears the sound of rustling in the brush and notices that his shield made the jump as well – a small favor. He knows he has to get free of the vines, when suddenly, the source of the rusling reveals itself – a tree-like creature moves slowly, with purpose, its eyes transfixed on Sam's cellmate, a red-skinned alien trapped next to him. The sound of his plea – Sam realizes his “cellmate” has seen what these strange tree-like creatures can do – and he is terrified. Suddenly, the tree-creature slams its fist into the chest of the red-skinned alien. His screams transmute from panicked terror – to the groaning of wood, as he becomes like the tree creature. 'Oh, you have gotta be kidding me!' Sam mutters. He strugges to break free, but the vines are like iron. Panic surges through him – it is no use. The tree-creature utters something in its native tongue, 'Not like this, helpless and shackled – not like -' Sam thinks to himself as the tree-like creature slams its fist into his chest.
Sabretooth's senses are going haywire, not a single scent that he recognizes though. He looks around, he is in some sort of baths or swimming pool. He sees pristine towers and perfect people – evolved animals – perfumed air with not a toxin in it. Severfal people stop and stare at Sabretooth as he sits in the water. 'What is it?' someone asks. 'Don't get close' another comments. 'Who knows what diseases -' someone mutters. 'Do something?' another asks. 'Kill it!' someone shouts as Sabretooth gets up and runs past the evolved animals. 'Mongrel!' someone calls out. 'Gene trash!' another declares. Creed tells himself that a place like this, the old him would be in heaven – shred its guts and show it the gooey bits inside. 'Back to your sewer!' someone shouts. 'Unclean!' another shouts. Polite disdain suddenly turns as the mob hurls their fancy foods, hissing with contempt. Creed decides that the sweet little things ain't got no idea how lucky they are he is a sweet unicorn of rainbows. Suddenly, 'All right, citizens! Get back to your business!' a voice calls out. Sabretooth picks up a scent, no, the absence of scent – something perfect – something highly evolved. He looks up to see a squad of New Men surrounding the High Evolutionary, who points at Sabretooth and declares that his New Men will deal with this old vermin!
